No Longer Just for Babies and Brides: New Registry Launches for School
Teachers to Create Classroom Wish List
Gold Star Registry makes it easy for teachers to list and parents to give
needed classroom materials
ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- A new online registry for
teachers created by Minnesota-based Anderson's, is launching in time for back
to school. Similar to registries for babies and brides, Gold Star Registry is
designed to allow teachers to post a wish list of the supplemental classroom
tools that enhance their learning environment, such as skill-builders,
achievement awards and learning incentives. The registry provides the
curriculum aids they need to teach and motivate students while enabling
parents, parent-teacher associations and other supportive community members to
contribute the exact supplies requested by the teachers.
According to a recent national survey conducted by Quality Education Data
(QED), U.S. teachers spend on average $475 of their own money on supplies for
their students and classrooms. Gold Star Registry aims to help alleviate
pressure on teacher pocketbooks by enabling parents and others to contribute
the exact supplies teachers indicate they need most. The service lets the
teacher take advantage of the Internet to build upon the lists of classroom
items needed that teachers typically send out at the beginning of the year.
"Gold Star Registry makes it possible to obtain the tools that will help
students learn while also making it easy for parents and communities to
provide meaningful support to their local teachers," said Katie Schervish, an
elementary school teacher from St. Nicholas Academy in Louisville, Kentucky,
who participated in the pilot launch of the new service. "While donations from
parents or the parent teacher association are always appreciated, the items
they give may not always align with our most pressing learning need."
Gold Star Registry Business Unit Leader and Program Spokesperson Judy
McClellan said, "In many districts, school budgets simply cannot cover the
cost of all the classroom supplies needed. Teachers committed to creating an
attractive learning environment and providing the additional tools to help
their students learn are buying the extras with their own money. Our registry
enables teachers to get what they need without putting further strain on their
own budget or that of the district. It effectively widens the circle of
support for schools."
To use the service, teachers register at a website,
http://www.goldstarregistry.com. There, they can build an online wish list
from the more than 6,000 available products from 16 leading education
publishers that have been recommended by teachers. They simply indicate the
quantity of each item needed. Teachers can update their wish lists while also
indicating the preferred delivery date of materials at any time throughout the
school year.
Parents, parent teacher associations and others can then log onto an
individual teacher's registry and purchase items, knowing that 100 percent of
the gift goes directly to the teacher. They can make their selections fully
confident that they are contributing supplies that the teacher and students
specifically want and need. Purchases are shipped directly to the school, a
convenience that saves donors time, effort and gasoline.
Gold Star Registry helps ensure that the items donors give will make a
difference for the teacher and students. Parents will know the teacher needs
specific items like workbooks, bulletin board sets, flashcards, stickers or
award incentives that will help to enhance learning skills versus giving a
gift specific to a teacher. "Although we appreciate the sentiment, many of us
simply don't need another gift of a coffee mug," said Schervish.
Gold Star Registry
Gold Star Registry allows donors to purchase items on the teachers'
personal registry via a website; the items are then shipped directly to the
teachers. The mission of Gold Star Registry is to help teachers receive the
classroom tools they need so they can focus on what really matters: making a
difference in the lives of their students. Gold Star Registry is a part of the
Anderson's Family of Brands. To learn more, visit:
http://www.goldstarregistry.com
Anderson's Family of Brands
Anderson's has helped schools celebrate events; recognize, reward and
motivate students; and promote school activities through a variety of catalog
offerings and services for 40 years. Anderson's developed Gold Star Registry
so teachers will be able to easily ask parents, relatives, friends and
businesses to help them supply the tools they need to enhance the education of
their students.
SOURCE Gold Star Registry
Jeanne Carpenter, +1-612-803-1282, for Gold Star Registry
